Thursday, March 9, 2017

Cambodia Trip 2.6 - West Baray

Das was “templed out.” I know the feeling. So, we bounced ideas back and forth as to how we could put best use to our full day together. Finally, we came up with a plan for him to see a different side of the temple complex
by riding a bicycle around the West Baray.

While he did this, Bunleng and I looked for Cambodian silk at reasonable prices -- which, of course, there aren’t any. Most all the silk for sale in the tourist areas of Siem Reap are imports.
It is hard to find Cambodian silk and even then, the price is high and the designs limited. This not only goes for silk, but for most all presents one might buy for loved ones or oneself. It’s most all imported from
Vietnam, China and even Thailand.

Bunleng took me to one place where they show you the entire process of getting silk thread from worms. That was very interesting. I had had an idea of it, but not the details.

We rendezvous’d with Das and then the three of us went to one of Bunleng’s favorite lunch spots, a place he has been regularly eating at in the 10+ years since he returned to Siem Reap from
Phnom Penh. I had to be careful with what I ate.

We dropped Das off at the guest house and then did some more scouting around for gifts, but for one reason or another were unsuccessful. The most that came out of about two hours going from stone carvers
to silk wholesalers was that I was able to have my picture taken and buy some more passport photos -- which I use regularly whenever I leave Thailand to visit neighboring countries.